DRAFT — NOT YET IN EFFECT. Placeholder structure only. A payment processor will read this page closely: refund terms that contradict what actually happens are a chargeback risk and an underwriting red flag. Replace every [[TODO]] before going live.
1. What this policy covers
[[TODO: Which orders and which products. Note any category handled differently.]]
2. Your right to cancel
[[TODO: Confirm with a solicitor whether the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 apply to your sales. They generally do not apply to business-to-business sales — so if you sell only to research institutions the statutory 14-day right may not apply, and you should say what you offer instead. Do not simply assert a 14-day right without checking; do not silently omit one you owe.]]
3. Return window
[[TODO: How many days from delivery a return may be started, and how the deadline is calculated.]]
4. Condition of returned goods
[[TODO: Unopened, unused, in original packaging with seals intact — state exactly what you require and what happens to a return that arrives outside those conditions.]]
5. What cannot be returned
[[TODO: Be specific and give the reason for each exclusion. For this category that typically includes opened or unsealed vials, temperature-sensitive items that have left controlled conditions, and custom or made-to-order items. An exclusion with a stated safety reason is defensible; a blanket “no returns” is not.]]
6. Damaged, faulty or incorrect items
[[TODO: How quickly a problem must be reported, what evidence you need (photographs, batch number, cold-chain indicator), and what you do about it — replace, refund, or either at your option. Include what happens if a temperature-controlled shipment arrives warm.]]
7. How to start a return
[[TODO: The exact steps. Do not send anything back without contacting us first — state that, and give the contact route and the information you need (order number, batch, reason).]]
8. Refunds — method and timing
[[TODO: Refunds go back to the original payment method; state how long after you receive and inspect the return, and how long the card issuer then takes. Make this match what your processor’s dashboard actually does.]]
9. Return postage
[[TODO: Who pays, in which circumstances, and whether you deduct outbound delivery from the refund. State any requirement for tracked or temperature-controlled return shipping.]]
10. Contacting us about a return
[[TODO: Link to the Contact page.]]